Chapter 31

Kate

I have three orders to work on.

I’m surprisingly focused.

Getting pounded in bed and thrown around like a toy does wonders for a woman.

The first pick up is a birthday cake for a sweet sixteen.

A happy-go-lucky man with a slightly bald head and a big smile picks up the cake and tells me quite a bit of his life story. How the last year his wife has battled and beat breast cancer and how much it’s taken a toll on their daughter. Now they are all eager to move on with their lives and live freely and happily. The man quit his job and bought an ice cream and pizza place in town because that’s what his wife wanted.

Not even two minutes after he leaves Mary Beth shows up.

Fuck.

She’s almost prancing into the bakery and I’m not in the mood to see her.

“Hey there,” she calls out. “Where were you last night?”

My heart sinks. “What?”

“I figured you’d be blowing up my phone wanting to go out or something. Just took the night to yourself?”

“Yup,” I say really quick. “Just me and some wine. A hot bath.”

Mary Beth holds up her right hand and wiggles her pointer and middle fingers. “A little personal relaxation?”

“Why use your hands when the faucet is running?”

“Naughty,” Mary Beth says. “Hey, what the… what happened to yours wrists, Kate?”

Oh… fuck…

Without thinking I must have pushed the sleeves on my long-sleeve shirt up.

My wrists are still raw red. It’s not something I can exactly hide.

Kind of like what Corbin did to your boob, right? Might as well just lift your shirt and bra and show Mary Beth now.

“I was carrying a couple big bags of flour,” I lie. “They kind of wrapped around my wrists. It hurt like hell too. But I had to get them from the back and I didn’t want to be away from the front for too long.”

Mary Beth stares me down.

After a few seconds she says, “Maybe you should get some help here. Maybe I can work here with you.”

“You stay away from the kitchen,” I say. “Remember the time you tried to make banana bread?”

Mary Beth laughs. “I did not know you needed to peel the bananas, okay?”

I laugh with her and push my sleeves down, covering my wrists.

“Okay, tonight,” Mary Beth says. “You and me. A night out.”

“No. Not tonight.”

“What?”

“I just… I’m exhausted.”

“Exhausted?” Mary Beth asks, lifting an eyebrow. “From what? Are those marks on your wrists really from bags of flour? Or is quiet little Chad secretly a wild fuck and he tied you up before he left?”

“Yup, you caught me. He tied my wrists and ankles and used a knife to tease and torture me.”

“Whoa,” Mary Beth says. “That went dark fast.”

“Sorry. Instead of watching chick flicks when I’m alone, I watch horror movies.”

“So you don’t want to hang out at all while I’m here?”

“Mary Beth…”

“Are you okay? For real? Give me something, Kate. I feel like you’re standing in front of me but you’re a mile away.”

“Life just gets, I don’t know, complacent? Is that even the right word?”

“Boredom?”

I shrug. “The same thing over and over.”

“Ut-oh.”

“This bakery, Mary Beth,” I say, knowing I can’t say a thing to her.

She’s my best friend… of what? From when? What is she now?

She’d never understand Corbin. She didn’t all those years ago. And him getting arrested— with me in the car as he sped away from police —only proved her hatred for him right.

“I want to own something,” I say. “That’s what I’m talking about.”

“Oh. Right. Yeah. I mean, you should. You totally should. Chad has money, right? Tell him to pony up some cash.”

“I’m working on it,” I say. “I’m sorry about last night. And tonight. I just…”

“I have a feeling this is where we admit we’re getting to be old ladies. No more going out drinking and flirting with hot guys.”

I shake my head.

At that exact moment I feel my phone vibrate.

When I see Dentist on the screen, I play it all cool and look at the text.

Tonight. Wear a dress. I want to see leg. I want to see cleavage. Then you’re going to find out what happens when someone looks at what I own. Since you’re so into my personal life now. Be ready.

“Chad?” Mary Beth asks.

I gasp. “What?”

“Is that Chad?”

“Oh. No. Just nonsense. Bakery stuff.”

I tuck my phone into my back pocket.

I hate myself for thinking what I am right now. But I have to get rid of Mary Beth. I have to get my best friend out of here. Out of my life right now .

My phone vibrates. Not just once either.

Fuck.

I’m ignoring Corbin. That’s not good.

“So what are we working on?” Mary Beth asks.

She has to know, logically, I cannot let her touch anything. This is a real business with real customers.

She rubs her hands together. “Relax, Kate. I’m only kidding. Wow. You’re stiff right now. You look scared of me.”

“I hate to sound like a bitch, but this is my job. This is what I do. I can’t have anyone touching things. I sound so mean right now.”

“Not at all,” Mary Beth says. “Good to see you passionate about something.”

I sigh an exhale of relief.

Mary Beth doesn’t leave though.

She just takes a seat.

I take my phone out of my pocket and place it on the counter and grab the order book and pretend I’m working.

I read Corbin’s texts.

Are you fucking ignoring me?

Do not fuck with me right now darling.

You. Will. Be. Punished. For. This.

See you soon, Katie.

My heart sinks yet it races. Butterflies float around in my stomach once more.

Texting him back won’t do me any good. He doesn’t care about excuses.

Fuck.

It’s okay though.

I’m going to finish my work here. I’m going to go home and find a dress that matches what Corbin wants. Then I’m going to go out with him.

Or maybe he’ll just lock me in a dog crate again after fucking me.

My body is on fire.

I need to splash some water on my face.

“I’ll be right back,” I tell Mary Beth.

I hurry into the back of the bakery, to the bathroom, and I splash some water on my face. I calm down. I cool off. I look at myself in the mirror and mentally tell myself to pull it the fuck together.

Which I do.

When I return to the front of the bakery, it’s all business.

I make small talk with my best friend.

I ask Mary Beth about her love life and her job and let her talk while I work.

Things calm. Things settle.

I can’t worry about tonight. At least not right now.

Right now I need to focus on what’s right in front of me.

I take a breath, look forward and feel my heart try to stop.

Corbin is standing right outside the front door to the bakery.

I really don’t know what would happen if Corbin opened the door and walked in.

I don’t know what Mary Beth will do or say. Or what I will do or say.

What the fuck…?

Corbin just stands there outside the door. He’s in jeans and a black and dark gray checkered flannel with the sleeves pushed way up. He’s massive. He’s looming. He’s fucking terrifying.

He lifts his hand.

I panic.

Instead of opening the door, he points.

He wants me to go to the back of the bakery.

“Shit,” I call out. “I’ll be right back. I just remembered something with our butter order. I was supposed to… fuck…”

I play my part and act as though I’m losing my mind on my phone as I hurry to the back of the bakery.

Mary Beth is glued to her phone anyway.

I rush to the back door of the bakery and push it open.

When I see Corbin approaching, he’s doing so with speed and purpose.

“Mary Beth is here,” I call out to him. “She’s sitting in the bakery. Remember her?”

Corbin closes in on me and steps into the bakery.

His right hand goes around my throat and he pushes.

“I don’t give a fuck who is here,” he growls. “You think you can ignore me, Katie? Really?”

“I wasn’t ignoring you,” I say. “Mary Beth…”

He drives me up against a wall.

To his left there’s a storage closet. He opens the door and then throws me into the closet.

He steps inside with me.

When I start to turn, he stops me.

His massive left hand pushes at my back. He literally bends me over a stack of bags of flour.

“Pants. Panties. Down to your fucking knees. Now.”

My hands shake wildly as I quickly drop my pants. And panties.

Corbin jams his fingers between my legs, right against my pussy.

I groan.

“You’re fucking wet,” he says.

“Can’t help it,” I purr. “I’m sorry, Corbin.”

“I bet you are, darling.”

His fingers slip up and cut between my ass cheeks. Touching me back there again. For a second.

Then his hand is gone.

A second later I feel his hand connect with my right ass cheek.

I groan.

Corbin then flips me around and steps on top of pants and panties, driving them down to my ankles.

“Don’t ever ignore me again, Katie,” he says.

His right hand slaps between my legs. Right against my pussy. It stings, yet I’m wet.

I bite my bottom lip. I’m not sure what kind of reaction I’m supposed to have.

“Understand me?” Corbin growls.

His fingers pinch, thumb and middle finger, grabbing my clit. Pulling at my clit.

Squeezing my clit .

I suck in a breath and my eyes fill with tears.

It’s just pain.

And it feels good.

“I understand,” I whisper.

“Good girl, Katie,” Corbin says. “When you don’t respond, I get angry. I have no choice but to check up on you.”

He leans down and kisses my cheek.

Then he rubs his lips against mine but he doesn’t kiss me.

He steps back and takes his fingers from my pussy.

He sucks my wetness off and then smacks his hand between my legs again.

Slapping my pussy…

Three more times and my legs are wobbling.

He then turns and just walks out of the closet and out of the bakery.

Leaving me with my pants and panties forced down to my ankles.

My pussy stings, aches, throbs, and is soaked. My ass stings too.

I nibble some more on my bottom lip.

My toes curl in my shoes.

God, Corbin is so terrifying…

… yet it all feels so good…